Ziva's First Christmas
by meegeesgeek
Summary: Can someone help Tim rediscover the true meaning of Christmas?


Ziva's First Christmas

Genre: Holiday & Romance

Word Count: 1,091

Disclaimer: Own nothing—sadly

…..

Growing up Tim's favorite holiday was undoubtedly Christmas. Tim loved going out and picking out the perfects McGee Christmas tree with the family. After Sarah was born the little girl detested the holiday because of the neon lights, and all the high pitched carols just didn't do much for the little girl.

However scrooge Sarah could not dampen Tim's cheerfulness in the holiday. Little tiny Timmy enjoyed decorating the tree with garland and some of the intricate hand carved bulbs that his father would bring home from his various deployments. There was never a bare spot on the tree when Tim McGee, decorator extraordinaire, was finished with the tree.

Growing up with his dad in the Navy McGee knew to never take any leave time for granted. Most Christmas' Dan McGee was home drinking eggnog, and eating the Christmas shaped cookies that Sarah and Eileen McGee made ever Christmas Eve. In that regard having their father home for most holidays was a plus to the McGee children—and it was a feat that was never taken for granted!

Tim always enjoyed giving gifts rather than receiving them, because the child always got great delight at seeing the recipients face light up in happiness when they were given the presents. It was all about the giving, and the thrill of seeking the perfect gift to Tim.

As the childhood innocence and age faded Tim little by little grew to disdain Christmas.

He hated how commercialized the holiday had become, and suddenly the old pastime holiday had taken in a more sinister edge to it.

Gone were the tidings of good cheer, and the desire to help people out during the giving season. Instead Christmas became a series of commercials on the season's biggest and most popular toys, or itr became a series of love infomercials. Yep the holiday had lost the entire luster in the eyes of the one Tim McGee.

Another reason that Christmas had come to be mundane in the agent's once innocent eyes was because of his status as a special agent. In his job he saw humans engage in some of the most inhumane and deplorable acts ever committed, and it just seemed as though every year like clockwork the team was in duty, or at the very least in call.

One Christmas he got tasered and if there was ever a way in which the cheer could be taken out of a holiday that certainty was a way in which to do it. Having volts of electricity go streaming through your body just is no way in which to spread holiday greeting or good cheer.

But this year was different. Vance had ordered the team off until the ring of the New Year. He said that it was the agency's way of saying thank you to the overworked team, and the Director urged the team to enjoy their extended leave because in this job the work can really pile on and up in a hurry.

So now Tim had all this free time off over the holidays and he had no idea what to do with himself! His parents were in Arizona visiting friends because over the years they had resigned themselves to the fact that their children were growing up, and were venturing off into the real world. One downside to seeing their babies spread their wings was the fact that it often meant that there was little free time in which they could make it home. Then Sarah had bailed on him at the last minute get together in favor of getting together with whoever her latest fling was. Who was he to stand in the way of romance?

Tony mumbled something about getting together with some of his old frat buddies, and while that may have sounded fun to the college goofball Tony, that was in no way shape or form how Tim wanted to spend the Christmas holiday

Then it hit Tim—he could invite Ziva over! B While Ziva celebrated Hanukah, she too had mentioned the fact that she had no real concrete plans for the lengthy time off. And Tim just hated the fact that Ziva would be alone. He at least thought that the pair could hang out and be less alone.

So Tim decided to call the Israeli woman. "Hey Ziva" Tim said after the phone was picked up o the third ring.

"Oh hello Tim" Ziva cheerfully replied

"Yea umm I was wondering…." Tim stuttered out before Ziva jumped in

"Oh Tim stop pestering in the bush" The Israeli woman cheekily said.

"Ummm that is beating around the busy, and I was wondering if you would umm like to spend Christmas at my place" Tim finally managed to complete his thought.

"That would be lovely" Ziva said somewhat in a low tone.

However Tim did not hear the muted reply and instead immediately started to try and backpedal by saying "it is okay if you are busy and all and I know that this is all short notice….."

The rest of Tim's reply remain unsaid when Ziva began to chuckle softly in the background, and the reality of what the Mossad operative originally proclaimed hit Tim.

"Ah well if you are sure" Tim replied

"Never have I been surer of anything Tim. I will be over tomorrow at say ahh noon?"

"Yea that works" Tim replied.

After hanging up the phone Tim had the goofiest grin on his face, and he suddenly had high hopes for Christmas after all.

Ziva came over the next day at noon, and the pair spent the first part of the day decorating the tree that Tim had picked up the weekend before.

While decorating the tree Tim explained the meaning behind some of the ornaments that they were hanging, such as the styrofoam mess that Sarah vehemently declared was an angel, and the pair also mixed in childhood stories while decorating the apartment in Christmas decorations.

After the tree was decorated the pair who was famished made quick work of the pigs in a blanket and the other various h'orderves , that the pair had managed to wrangle together. While it may not have been traditional Christmas food, for some reason it felt just right to Tim.

It was under the neon lights of the Christmas tree that the pair had their first Christmas kiss.

"Here is to many more Christmases together" both said in unison!


End file.
